


Into the Depths

by WhirlyGirl



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-12 04:29:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20979548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhirlyGirl/pseuds/WhirlyGirl
Summary: Jack's final embrace with his Mistress, the SeaNew to writing on AO3,  wrote this ages ago, just getting stuff together to post now.  Struggling with formatting.. forgive the lumpiness of it, I can't seem to get it to paragraph..





	Into the Depths

_Hold on girl_, hold on. So fierce was the storm, he could no longer see Pearl’s bow as she plunged once more from the crest of a mountain of water, spray from the sea and torrential rain making it impossible. Every part of her thrummed with the strain, wind howling through the rigging, threatening to rip away the storm sail on each mast. Gone was his hat, torn away by the tempest, faded red scarf doing nothing to keep his hair from whipping about his face. Salt stung his eyes, hands raw and bleeding from gripping the wheel, forearms numb from the strain. Another captain might have tied her off and taken his chances below. Not Jack. He wouldn’t desert her. He braced himself against the wheel once more as she rose up, bowsprit piecing the sky, little carved bird in the hand of the figured head silhouetted against the murderous sky. For a moment she was held, bow to the heavens, the wave mountainous, before she plunged down. He held her fast, body shivering with the effort, as she crashed down, a deafening groan forced from her aging hull. He slammed against the wheel as she stalled at the bottom of the wave, bow thrust deep under a wall of water. _Come on girl, pull up._ Below the waves, the bowsprit splintered. In the murky depths, the current tore at the outstretched hand of the Lady Pearl, the sea grasping at the little bird. Pull up! She floundered and the sea, ever a fickle mistress, thrust her suddenly sideways. Jack heard the bow splinter beneath him, even as the wheel wrenched out of his hands and he too was cast aside to crash into the rail. ‘She’s broached to!’ The cry went up from the bridge of the Endeavour. Will watched in horror as the Pearl was swept sideways, a great wall of water pounding her deck. Elizabeth staggered to the rail. Jack. She looked back at Will, saw his face set. He nodded back to the Pearl. Her bow had risen, pointed spar missing, carved wooden bird torn away. He couldn’t get his breath, winded, lungs fouled with seawater. He tried to pull himself up on the rail but was knocked down again as the sea swept across the deck. So he stayed down. He no energy left to do else. He raised his face to the skies, heart seized with regret. _I’m sorry luv. So sorry_. The deck began to splinter beneath the weight of the boiling seas. ‘Will please, we have to try!’ Elizabeth pleaded, even as the Pearl began to break up. She didn’t know if Jack was even still aboard. Will stayed fast at the helm. ‘Will!’ ‘Elizabeth, it would be a fool’s errand, I have this ship to keep safe’. She knew it was true, even if her heart fought against it. ‘He would have wanted no less.’ The wind stoles his words as he set the wheel and pressed the Endeavour away from the Pearl. *********************************** She embraced him as a lover come home, parting his lips and filling him with her very essence. He had gasped, fighting her at first, fighting for one more day in the sun with his Pearl, deck beneath him warmed as if in life. But she drew him down, chill darkness consuming him. _No more, Jack, all stories have an ending._ He ceased to struggle then, pounding heart beginning to slow. _Aye luv_. A brief flash of gold could be seen in the darkness. _Tell mine well, luv. Tell mine well._

**Author's Note:**

> Bow: front of the ship  
Bowsprit: pointy bit at the front of the ship, to which the foresails are anchored. Also called a ‘spar’  
Storm sail: the smallest, but toughest canvas, made from a heavier grade of material. In severe weather, all sails are stowed save the storm sail, which is used to keep the ship underway.  
Rail: edge of the ship  
Lady Pearl: the figure head. She has her hand held out with a little bird taking flight.  
Broached to: rather than sailing with the wind behind and cutting a line across the waves a broached ship lies broadside to the waves, leaving it vulnerable to being knocked it over.


End file.
